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Jokowi dreams bigger than Dubai: making new capital city 'the best on earth'

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Jakarta Post - November 6, 2019

Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has revealed that he has dreams for the new capital bigger than those of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), he wants the soon-to-be developed city in East Kalimantan to be "the best on earth".

While Dubai has sets its sights on becoming the world's happiest city through technological innovations by 2021, Jokowi said he envisioned the future capital of Indonesia being more than that.

"We have to dream big. While Dubai [wants to be] the happiest city on earth, our new capital city will be the best on earth, the cleanest city, the most innovative city," Jokowi said on Wednesday.

Speaking during the opening ceremony of the 2019 Indonesian Construction Expo, the President asserted that the new capital would not only serve as the country's administrative hub, but it would be a smart metropolis that supported the growth of innovation and green industries.

It will provide the residents of the city with the best services, environment and opportunities that can boost their life quality, ranging from world-class educational institutions and modern hospitals to high-tech centers similar to Silicon Valley, he said.

"Google Global Talent will be set up [in the new capital]. Our diaspora will return home and attract more world-class talent to live there," Jokowi said.

However, the President asserted that – in line with the government's focus on developing human capital – officials and the public in general should change their mindset and work cultures so as to be able to adapt to such new cutting-edge systems in the planned metropolis.

"Once again, we are not only going to move [to new capital], but we are also moving to a new system," Jokowi added.

Citing environmental reasons and overcrowding in Jakarta, Jokowi's administration announced in August that it would build a new capital on a 180,000-hectare site straddling North Penajam Paser and Kutai Kertanegara regencies in East Kalimantan.

The government is currently finalizing a master plan for the new capital city, with a target of starting the development – which is projected to cost up to Rp 466 trillion (US$32.7 billion) – by the end of next year. (afr)

Source: https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2019/11/06/jokowi-dreams-bigger-than-dubai-making-new-capital-city-the-best-on-earth.html

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